set of collectable, superimposable cards

ABSTRACT

A set of collectable cards includes base cards bearing background images and accessory cards congruent with the base cards, which bear one or more images that are complementary to the background images and are distributed on a transparent area, and which can be superimposed on the base cards to form composite images. The accessory cards have an adhesive material for temporary connection to the base cards or to other accessory cards in a superimposed condition and define, in combination with another card in an aligned, superimposed condition, shaped portions for the separation of the cards from one another.

The present invention relates to a set of collectable, superimposablecards, of the type defined in the preamble to claim 1.

Printed, collectable cards bearing images of real or imaginary people,animals or backgrounds are very widespread particularly amongst childrenand adolescents. Predetermined numbers of different cards form acollection and enable role-play games to take place, optionally incombination with game boards or similar accessories.

WO 03/057328 discloses superimposable playing cards a collection ofwhich comprises base cards bearing background images and transparentaccessory cards of matching shape and size which bear one or more imagescomplementary to the background images and which can be superimposed ona predetermined base card to form one or more composite images. Cardsthat are superimposed on one another are held together by adhesionbetween the connecting surfaces with the use, for example, of the effectof electrostatic attraction between the surfaces.

However, these cards are expensive and have imperfections anddifficulties of use which render collection and playing impracticalparticularly because it is necessary to provide the card with films thatare sensitive to electrostatic attraction on both faces of the accessorycards, increasing their thickness and ultimately the thickness of thestack of cards representing a complete image.

Moreover, they are difficult to separate and continual separation byunskilled players causes deterioration of the cards that are most used,particularly at the edges in the regions of the peripheral corners ofthe card.

The object of the present invention is to provide improved collectable,superimposable cards with better adhesion characteristics and at thesame time easier separation, so that their useful life is extended,enabling different composite images to be made up and taken apartextremely easily.

Further advantages and characteristics of the present invention willbecome clear from the following detailed description relating to theappended drawings which are provided purely by way of non-limitingexample and in which:

FIG. 1 a and 1 b are schematic views of collectable, superimposablecards,

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an accessory collectable card providedwith a film for protecting an adhesive layer,

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an accessory collectable card mounted in asuitable collecting album,

FIGS. 4 a-4 e are schematic views of cards provided with separationmeans according to the invention.

The present invention relates to a set of collectable, printed cardsbearing superimposable images, comprising a plurality of generallyopaque base cards 10 bearing background images or scenes and a pluralityof at least partially transparent accessory cards 12 which bear imagescomplementary to the background images and which can be superimposed onone or more predetermined base cards 10 to form a completedmulti-layered card 14 bearing a composite image.

A base card 10 may be made of various materials and in various shapes.For example, it may be transparent, made of PVC or PET, like the cardsknown by the trade name Lamincard®, or of card. The dimensions of thecards may vary but are preferably equivalent to those of the accessorycards 12. The image printed on the base card may be, for example, aperson, an object, or a landscape which can be enhanced by the additionof further components as a result of the superimposition of one or moreaccessory cards.

An accessory card 12 is made of transparent material and is thinner thanthe base cards. The image or images printed on the accessory cardsrepresent accessories or elements which are intended to enhance theimage of a base card, for example, garments for a person, armour forwarriors, elements of a landscape, components of a motor vehicle, etc.

A plurality of accessory cards 12 can be placed on a single base card 10to produce a “completed” card 14 bearing a composite image.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, a scene B of a room is shown onthe base card 10 and the accessory cards 12 bear depicted image elementsI₁-I₅ which can be superimposed on the background image B and whichrepresent, respectively, (in the order in which they are superimposed)an unclothed person (I₁), a jumper (I₂), a pair of shoes (I₃), a pair oftrousers (I₄), and a pair of ear-rings (I₅). The composite image Sdepicted by the completed card 14 thus represents a fully clothed personset in the room.

A base card 10 made of PVC, PET, or card typically has a thickness ofbetween 300 and 400 microns and is generally printed by offsettechnology in four-colour printing with a first, translucent printing, asubsequent opaque white printing in register under the four-colourprinting, a further opaque white printing step (to improve the cover),and subsequent four-colour printing. The back of the card is printedwith a glossy UV film with a solid background. The thickness of thematerial may vary but the base card is preferably thicker than theaccessory cards.

An accessory card 12 made of transparent PVC or PET typically has athickness of between 200 and 300 microns and is generally colour-printedby four-colour printing with a first translucent printing and subsequentopaque white printing in register under the four-colour printing. It isthen rendered adhesive by means of an adhesive material or a resin.

A completed card 14 is a multi-layered card formed by a base card 10 anda variable number of accessory cards 12, up to a predetermined maximum,in a stacked configuration. It can be taken apart and re-assembled bycombining different accessory cards 12, provided that they are adaptedto represent a composite image S. Each layer represents one or moreimage elements I that can be added to the subject B shown on the basecard and which help to complete it, for example, to clothe or adorn aperson, or to enhance a landscape with elements, according to the tastesof the player or the rules of the game.

The stacked configuration of cards, in which different accessory cards12 are superimposed on one another and on a base card 10 at the bottomis temporarily held together by connection between the cards by adhesivemeans such as adhesives or synthetic resins, or by electrostatic effect,in a manner such that the cards can be separated and joined togethercountless times.

In particular, each accessory card 12 is rendered adhesive by theapplication of an adhesive film to the back 20 of the card, either overthe entire rear surface of the card which is to adhere to another card,for optimally transparent adhesive films, or in predefined regionscorresponding to the printed region (for example, image elements orframe) so that a film with poor transparency properties is not visibleon the transparent surface of the card.

In the first case, the adhesive layer is applied by the spreading of auniform layer of adhesive or resin on a roll of PVC or PET (rolling)with the use of a plasticizer. Since a resin is a ductile materialformed by crystals which, with heat, adhere to the substrate material onwhich the resin is spread, becoming a single body therewith, it isadvantageously not prone to wearing out or being transferred to thesurfaces to which it adheres as an adhesive. A special technique hasbeen developed for the production of cards provided with a resin-basedadhesive layer, in which the resin is melted in a tank, collected andsprayed onto rolls of PVC or PET in order then to be spread at 60° C.,calendered and dried (polymerized) for 48 hours prior to the printingstep. Specifically, a PET card is preferred for the spreading of resinbecause of the higher glass transition point of PET, which is above 70°C., at which temperature the resin is spread. The roll is then printedand cut to create the accessory playing cards.

In the second case, the adhesive layer is applied by a silk-screenprinting process for which the adhesive film is spread in register underthe white (or in any case opaque) regions that are present on thepreviously offset-printed sheet, by means of a common mask also used forthe printing of the background layer of the image.

In both cases, a removable, thinner (for example 120 microns),transparent, PVC protection and release film 22 is arranged to protectthe layer of adhesive material applied to the back of the card to permitpackaging operations and at least until the occasion of the first use ofthe card.

The preferred adhesive material is an adhesive or resin of the “stickand release” type, that is, which allows the cards to be joined andseparated countless times without appreciable loss of strength, exceptowing to inevitable but remediable accumulation of dirt. The adhesivesand resins used can be regenerated, for example, by washing with aconventional detergent (water and soap) so that the surface on which theadhesive film has been spread can easily be cleaned when the adhesiveeffect has been lost owing to the picking-up of dust and dirt. Theadhesive material is also such as not to leave traces on the fingers orother body parts of the player handling the cards or on surfaces towhich the card is applied.

After the protective film has been removed, the card can be mounted in asuitable collecting album 30 provided with pages 32 of glossy paperhaving the function of a supporting substrate.

The base cards and the accessory cards define, in combination with othercards in an aligned, superimposed condition, means for their separation,comprising a disalignment of at least one peripheral portion of thecorresponding sides of a pair of adjacent superimposed cards.

For example, and with reference to FIGS. 4 a-4 e, the disalignment maybe a concave portion 40 formed in one side of only one of twosuperimposed cards, or a pair of offset concave portions 40′ and 40″formed in corresponding sides of a pair of adjacent superimposed cards.

Alternatively, the disalignment may be a convex portion 42 formed on oneside of only one of two superimposed cards, or a pair of offset convexportions 42′ and 42″ on corresponding sides of a pair of adjacentsuperimposed cards.

In a variant, the disalignments may be represented by chamfers 44 ofdifferent radius of curvature at the corners of the card.

Cards that are intended for forming different layers of a completed cardmay have the above-mentioned disalignments on different sides (orcorners) so as to facilitate their separation.

Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the formsof embodiment and details of construction may be varied widely withrespect to those described and illustrated purely by way of non-limitingexample, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of thepresent invention defined by the appended claims.

1. A set of collectable cards comprising a plurality of base cardsbearing background images and a plurality of accessory cards congruentwith the base cards, which bear one or more images that arecomplementary to the background images and are distributed on atransparent area, and which can be superimposed on the base cards toform composite images, wherein the accessory cards comprise adhesivemeans for temporary connection to the base cards or to other accessorycards in a superimposed condition and define, in combination withanother card in an aligned, superimposed condition, means for theseparation of the cards.
 2. A set of collectable cards according toclaim 1, in which the means for the separation of the cards comprise adisalignment of at least one peripheral portion of corresponding sidesof a pair of adjacent superimposed cards.
 3. A set of collectable cardsaccording to claim 2, wherein the disalignment includes a concaveportion formed on one side of a card.
 4. A set of collectable cardsaccording to claim 3, wherein the means for the separation of the cardscomprise offset concave portions on corresponding sides of a pair ofadjacent superimposed cards.
 5. A set of collectable cards according toclaim 2, wherein the disalignment includes a convex portion formed onone side of a card.
 6. A set of collectable cards according to claim 5,wherein the means for the separation of the cards comprise offset convexportions on corresponding sides of a pair of adjacent superimposedcards.
 7. A set of collectable cards according to claim 2, wherein thedisalignment includes chamfers with different radius of curvature atrespective corresponding corners of adjacent superimposed cards.
 8. Aset of collectable cards according to claim 1, wherein the adhesivemeans include an adhesive substance adapted to allow the cards to bejoined and separated on multiple occasions and washable with aconventional detergent.
 9. A set of collectable cards according to claim8, wherein the adhesive substance is distributed on selected areas ofthe surface of the card being adhered to another card.
 10. A set ofcollectable cards according to claim 9, in which the selected areascorrespond to image areas of the card.
 11. A set of collectable cardsaccording to claim 8, wherein the adhesive substance is can be appliedby silk-screen printing through a common mask also used for an operationfor the printing of an opaque background layer of the image.
 12. A setof collectable cards according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive meansinclude a synthetic resin adapted to allow the cards to be joined andseparated on multiple occasions and washable with a conventionaldetergent.
 13. A set of collectable cards according to claim 12, whereinthe resin is distributed uniformly on a that surface of the card whichis to adhere to another card.
 14. A set of collectable cards accordingto claim 13, wherein the resin is applied in a layer to the surface ofthe card which is to adhere to another card, by rolling.
 15. A set ofcollectable cards according to claim 1, comprising a booklet for thecollection of the cards provided with glossy paper pages having thefunction of a supporting substrate for the accessory cards after theremoval of a protective film for protecting the adhesive means until theoccasion of the first use of the card.